The board of the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) said today it has approved all 10 amendments to the Solicitors Handbook identified in its ‘red tape initiative’.

Several of the amendments, which had been subject to a consultation that finished earlier this month, had been criticised by the Law Society.

The amendments approved by the board in a special meeting today will:

- Remove restrictions on charging by in-house lawyers employed in not-for-profit organisations

- Allow in-house solicitors employed by local authorities to charge charities for legal services

- Allow the appointment of registered European lawyers and registered foreign lawyers as new managers and owners of regulated entities

- Reduce restrictions on compliance officers acting for related entities

- Remove the need for SRA approval for trainee secondments

- Introduce a lifetime authorisation for training establishments

- Remove half-equivalence provisions in training contract reductions

- Remove the time limit or an academic award to remain valid

- Remove the need for student re-enrolment after four years

- Remove the need for Qualified lawyers Transfer Scheme certificates of eligibility in certain, specified circumstances

The SRA said that the red tape initiative was ongoing and it would look at suggestions gathered during the consultation. These include amendments to education and training regulations and simplifying the structure of regulations.